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| - What even is the real name of this restaurant? Is it Kanpai as written on the door? Is it Kampai as written on the sign? I actually have no idea and for the sake of this review, it doesn't really matter. Here is what is important about this little restaurant on the west side of town. The two chefs who own and run this restaurant, brought sushi to the valley. No, I am not kidding and its not debatable, AJ and Yuki are the original gangsters of the sushi manifestation that has occurred in Phoenix.
In order to understand this revelation, we need to go back to 1985(see what I did there). A small sushi restaurant opens in Paradise Valley, right across the street from the mall. It is called Shogun and for many years is the premier sushi restaurant in the valley. Actually, for a while, it was the only sushi restaurant in the valley. Shogun has gone through various restorations and renovations over the years, but originally, it was AJ and Yuki at the small sushi bar inside Shogun with around five or six tables. These sushi geniuses built Shogun into the dynasty that it was and after a few years, moved onto their own venture, named Kampai or Kanpai, depending on which signage you are currently viewing.
Kampai, found in a very shady strip mall on Bell road, has the best sushi in the valley. There is not a close second. Yuki is the main sushi chef and AJ runs the back end kitchen. Word of warning and the reason for the lack of five stars in this review. If Yuki is not your sushi chef, I cannot vouch for the restaurant at all. I know I know, that sounds brutal, but it's the truth. Yuki is an artist and meticulous. The other chefs just are not in his league and some of the specialties of the house, only taste their best when made from Yuki's hands.
What makes this place so special? It certainly isn't the decor, which could not be more plain. It is far from the waitress service that is at best, hard to understand. It is the fact that the spicy tuna hand roll is the best I have ever had. The southwest salmon roll, while not only amazing, is only found at this sushi bar, no matter where in the country I have dined on sushi. The southwest salmon roll Is an inside out roll, with salmon and a house cured chili pepper with cucumber and masago on the outside. It is my favorite sushi roll on the planet. As for the sushi, this is the only place in the valley, besides Hiro in North Scottsdale, who serves live scallops. At Hiro, you will pay an arm and a leg, at Kampai, they will be fresher and you will pay fair market price, as set by AJ. The yellowtail and salmon sushi are always cured perfectly, not salty and melt in your mouth.
There are both entree specials and sushi specials listed on the white boards above and next to the sushi bar. AJ makes the best salmon and yellowtail collars in the business, while serving better versions of the standard sushi bar appetizer fare, IE. Fried oysters, tempura, etc..
I will end this review here, but rest assured, if you are looking for the best, most authentic sushi dinner in the valley, Kampai is the place.
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